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Tips for a Shiny Hair Coat on Your Horse

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A shiny hair coat is what we all desire for our horses, as it’s not only a reflection of good health, but also a pleasant sight to see. But how exactly does one achieve a shiny hair coat? Let’s get to the bottom of this question!

Diet is Key

First and foremost, a shiny, healthy hair coat begins with diet. Specifically, horses need a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. If your horse is on good pasture, omega-3’s will be plentiful. However, horses on an all hay or mostly hay diet will likely need omega-3 supplementation in the form of something like Organic ground flaxseed, chia seeds, or a healthy oil. 

Speaking of oils, you may have heard that corn or vegetable oil will help create a shiny coat. While this is true, you should know that oils like these are higher in omega-6 than omega-3 content. This means they are pro-inflammatory and may worsen conditions such as arthritis. So choose wisely when it comes to feeding your horse any type of oil!

Vitamins A, D, and E are also critical for a healthy hair coat. Again, many of these can be found in fresh grass, but vitamins are often depleted when grass is cut and dried for hay. Horses deficient in these vitamins, as well as certain minerals, will often have a faded or dull hair coat. Feeding a high-quality vitamin and mineral supplement such as Organic Icelandic Kelp can help provide many of the critical vitamins and minerals a horse needs. 

Photo by Luisa Peter on Unsplash

Grooming for Shine

Though you’ll never get a glossy hair coat without the right diet, grooming can take that shine to the next level. Not only does daily grooming remove dirt which can dull the look of your horse’s coat, but it also helps to bring out natural oils produced in the horse’s skin.

A good grooming routine might start with a rubber curry comb to loosen up dirt. Next, use a stiff brush to pull the natural oils into the hair shaft. Then, finish up by using a soft-bristled brush to get rid of any fine dust that may remain. 

Also, make sure to keep your grooming tools clean—that way you’re not brushing more dirt into your horse’s hair coat. Wash your brushes in a bucket of water with dish soap, separating and scrubbing the bristles to remove dirt, oil, and dander.

Coat Care

Last, but certainly not least, bathing your horse can really bring out that luster. However, keep in mind that bathing should only be done once or twice a month at most, as it can strip the hair coat of its natural oils. 

It’s best to choose natural products that are pH-balanced for horses and dilute your shampoo in a bucket of water before using. Lather your horse up using a bathing mitt, cloth, or sponge and make sure to rinse well to remove all residue.

With the right diet, a good grooming routine, and occasional bathing, your horse should be well on their way to a beautiful, shiny coat!

13 Natural Fly Control Methods for Horses

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Did you know that flies actually serve a purpose? It’s true—they’re natural decomposers that help to break down organic matter. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean we want loads of them hanging around our farm—because they’re also annoying pests that bite our animals.

Chemical fly sprays tend to be the most common (though temporary) solution for horses. However, many of these products can be more harmful than the flies, themselves. For example, most brands use permethrin, an ingredient that can be fatal to cats and fish, as well as highly toxic to bees and other beneficial insects. 

Natural fly control methods may take a little more effort, but in the long run, they’re better for our horses, ourselves, and the environment. With that in mind, here are thirteen natural ways to ward off flies:

1.) Natural Fly Spray: Instead of chemical-laden fly sprays, opt for a natural brand such as Topper’s Bug Buster All Natural Fly Spray – Peppermint Tingle. This unique peppermint-scented spray is handcrafted and custom blended with several great smelling bug-repelling essential oils.

2.) Plant Fly-Deterring Flowers such as marigolds and geraniums around your barn or pasture (If you plant in your pasture, make sure they’re the species safe for horses–Calendula officials and Geranium maculate.)

3.) Mow! Keep your pastures cut short. Shorter grass means less insects will hang out in it.

4.) Manage Manure. By keeping manure picked up from stalls, pens, and pastures, this will eliminate a major food source as well as breeding grounds for flies. But in order to keep the flies away from the manure permanently, you will need to have it shipped off site or compost it. 

5.) Fly Traps: Use traps or non-chemical fly baits in the barn.

6.) Fans: Moving air in the barn keeps flying insects away.

7.) Fly Predators: These are a tiny insect species which feed on fly larvae. You can purchase them online. 

8.) Fly Masks and Mesh Leg Coverings: Protect your horse’s face and lower legs with these.

 9.) Fly Sheets: These are especially helpful for older horses and those with compromised immune systems (whom flies seem to be even more attracted to). 

10.) Moisture control: flies also love to lay eggs in moist areas. By cleaning up wet stall bedding and grass clippings from mowing, this will help prevent them from laying eggs in those areas. It’s also a good idea to fill in holes or low spots where water tends to collect in your pasture.

11.) Fly Die Insect Control: By sprinkling this product onto manure or other areas in the barn or pasture where flies tend to congregate, you can eliminate hatching larvae and egg-laying adult flies. You can also spray FlyDie anywhere flies gather and eliminate them once and for all.

12.) Let Your Horse Be Dirty! Resist the urge to brush your horse every time he gets a nice layer of mud or dirt on his back. This is natural fly protection!

13.) Chickens: Consider keeping a flock free-ranging hens or guineas. They love to feast on flies and their larvae! 

Inflammatory Airway Disease in Horses

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Inflammatory Airway Disease (IAD), also known as Equine Asthma, is a respiratory disease that most often affects young horses in training. IAD is similar to Heaves/Recurrent Airway Obstruction, which tends to occur in older horses, but less severe in nature. But unlike horses with Heaves, those with IAD do not show signs of increased respiratory efforts at rest. 

IAD is believed to be caused by inhaled allergens such as dust and air pollution from the horse’s environment. The lower airways react by constricting and reducing airflow, producing mucus, and decreasing clearance of mucus from the respiratory tract. 

Horses kept in stalls are more likely to develop IAD since they are exposed to larger amounts of dust and mold spores in the barn. However, pollen may also be a problem for some horses at certain times of the year. 

Photo by Luisa Peter on Unsplash

Symptoms of IAD

Horses with IAD don’t appear sick. They are generally bright and alert and continue to have a good appetite. The only symptoms of IAD include a cough without fever, excess mucus, and if the horse is being ridden or exercised, they often have poor performance. Over time, the horse may even become exercise intolerant.

Diagnosing IAD

To examine a horse that is suspected of having IAD, veterinarians typically use an endoscope in the airways after exercise to see if excess mucus is present. Another commonly used diagnostic test is bronchoalveolar lavage, a lung wash that allows the vet to see cells lining the airways deep in the lungs. A third option is collecting mucus and cells from the trachea with what’s known as a tracheal wash. 

Differentiating IAD from other respiratory disease is important in order to get the right treatment for your horse. 

Treating IAD

Treating IAD should take a three-pronged approach: 

First, exposure to respiratory irritants such as hay and dust should be decreased as much as possible. This may involve steaming or soaking hay (and feeding it from ground level) or removing hay completely from the horse’s diet and replacing it with soaked hay cubes or fresh pasture. Avoid round bales altogether. 

Changing stall bedding, adding more barn ventilation, or increasing turnout time may be needed as well. Horses with IAD do better on paper or wood shavings as opposed to straw or hay, but 24-hour turnout is often the best solution. 

Secondly, the existing inflammation in the horse’s airway needs to be addressed. Veterinarians often prescribe corticosteroids for IAD. These drugs can be given orally, injected, or inhaled. 

Thirdly, horses with IAD can benefit from good nutrition and certain supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to decrease inflammation and improve symptoms of respiratory disease. Organic stone ground flaxseed is a great option. 

Breezee Respiratory Support for Horses contains a number of medicinal organic herbs to improve symptoms in horses with respiratory conditions such as IAD as well. 

With IAD, the good news is that, with proper care and management changes, most horses with can make a full recovery. As long as environmental changes are maintained, many horses return to their previous level of performance as well.

Spring Detox for Humans and Horses

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There’s no doubt that spring is a time of renewal. It’s nature’s fresh start—a time for plants to grow, flowers to bloom, and rain to replenish the soil. Spring is also the perfect time to detoxify the harmful chemicals, heavy metals, and other pollutants that may have taken up residence in our bodies due to the environment we live in, as well as those created by normal bodily chemical reactions.

By helping our bodies naturally shed these toxins, our energy and health can be improved. And of course, whatever is good for us, is also good for our horses. They are just as affected by environmental toxins as we are, after all. 

The Body’s Natural Detox Mechanisms

The body is naturally equipped with its own detoxification mechanisms. The lungs remove gases. The skin reduces penetration of toxic substances. The digestive system eliminates toxic foods by vomiting (for humans and some animals) and/or diarrhea. The kidneys secrete or filter toxins out of the blood and into urine. And finally, the liver works to change the chemical nature of many toxins. 

Of these organs, the kidney and liver are especially important for detoxification. However, in today’s world, the body can easily become overwhelmed by toxins in food, water, and air, as well as in many products we use around the house, yard, barn, or even on our animals or ourselves. In this case, the body may need some help with the detoxification process. 

Eat Clean and Exercise 

Eating clean, whole foods can go a long ways in supporting the body’s natural detoxification processes. Avoid processed foods and sugar and stay well hydrated. We can provide the same clean diet for our horses as well by eliminating processed feeds (especially sweet feeds) and allowing them to graze on healthy pasture in spring. Provide plenty of fresh, clean water as well. 

Exercise also helps the body detox. In fact, sweating can safely and effectively eliminate heavy metals like nickel, lead, copper, arsenic, and mercury. This, of course, can work for our horses too!

Detoxifying Herbs

A number of natural herbs can help safely detox the body. Some of the herbs that can be used for both people and horses include:

  • Milk thistle
  • Dandelion
  • Burdock 
  • Turmeric
  • Spirulina
  • Cilantro (coriander)

These herbs can be fed individually or combined in order to detox the body. Work with an herbalist or follow manufacturer directions when taking or feeding herbs, however. 

Bentonite Clay

Bentonite Clay is another great detox ingredient which gets its name from Fort Benton in Wyoming, where it naturally occurs in large amounts. However, this type of clay can also be found in a number of places where volcanic ash has settled onto the ground.

A number of studies have shown the beneficial detoxification effects of bentonite clay. For example, a study on chicks found that it reduced effects of aflatoxin B1 from certain types of mold and other studies have shown similar detoxifying effects. 

The Holistic Horse has bentonite clay available for both people and horses. 

Spring is a great time to focus on detox. By implementing some of the above information, you and your horse can be on your way to better health!

Slow Feeders and Equine Gut Health

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In recent decades, many people have abandoned traditional forms of horse keeping in favor more “natural” horse management practices which better support the horse’s emotional and physical health. At the forefront of this is feeding in a way that mimics how free-roaming horses eat. 

Traditional feeding practices typically include two grain and hay meals per day, which often leave the horse without any food at all for long periods of time. Because the horse’s stomach continually secretes acid, saliva (produced by chewing food) is needed to buffer this acid. When horses go for long periods of time with no food, that acid can eat away at the stomach lining, causing ulcers, which may also lead to colic. 

Ensuring that your horse has access to forage 24/7 is much more conducive to their gut health as well as their overall health. But how does one feasibly do this?

Barring access to fresh pasture, there are generally two options when it comes to providing hay 24/7 for horses: feeding free choice with either a round bale or multiple square hay feedings throughout the day or using slow feeders. The second option may require some cost up front, but it will save you money and time in the long run. Not to mention, slow feeders can also prevent easy keepers from overeating as they might with free-choice hay. 

If you aren’t familiar with slow feeders, these are nets or solid feeders with small to medium-sized openings for hay access. Their purpose is to slow down the rate at which a horse eats, allowing the forage to last a longer period of time.

If making the switch to slow feeders, however, it’s important to purchase the right one for your horse. Some horses may grow frustrated with smaller-sized holes and others may not be able to get as much hay as they need and lose weight as a result. Choose a slow feeder that your horse can eat from but still slows his rate of hay consumption. Placing multiple slow feeders around your property can encouragement movement as your horse travels from feeder to feeder to eat throughout the day.

Supporting a horse’s natural head-down grazing posture is also important when choosing a slow feeder. Eating from the ground or a lower vantage point will not only reduce strain on their body but also help the horse to chew correctly and produce the appropriate amount of saliva needed to buffer stomach acid.

There’s no doubt that slow feeders can support a horse’s gut health by ensuring that they always have hay to eat. But along with using slow feeders, supplementing with a high-quality probiotic such as ProGuard Probiotics will further support your horse’s gut health. ProGuard contains three lactic acid “good” bacteria strains that promote healthy digestive function, helping to ward off bad bacteria and prevent them from overtaking the GI tract. Good bacteria also help the body to make important B vitamins and support a strong immune system. 

To better support your horse’s gut and overall health, consider making the switch to slow feeders, and for added protection, feed a probiotic as well. 

Understanding the Horse’s Digestive System

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The horse’s digestive system may seem quite “delicate”, but what is it that makes them prone to issues like colic, laminitis, and gastric ulcers? The answer to this question can be found the anatomy of their digestive system as well as how it functions. 

Horses evolved to move and graze, eating small meals for about 16 hours each day. They are non-ruminant, simple-stomached herbivores and hindgut fermenters, meaning fiber is mostly fermented in the large intestine. This makes them different from ruminants such as cattle, goats, and sheep which are foregut fermenters with a rumen and multi-compartment stomach. 

 

The Equine Foregut

The equine foregut is relatively small when compared to their hindgut. It consists of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. The mouth is, of course, where digestion begins as the horse chews food to reduce the particle size. Horses produce 9-10 gallons of saliva per day as they chew their food which lubricates food particles and creates a bolus—a round mass of food that is easier to swallow. Saliva also helps to buffer acid produced in the stomach. 

After leaving the mouth, food travels through the pharynx, into the esophagus, and continues onto the stomach, which can hold about 3-5 gallons.

In the stomach, chemical digestion continues, thanks to the acid continually produced there. However, if horses go for long periods of time without forage, this acid can eat away at the stomach lining, causing ulcers. 

From the stomach, food travels into the small intestine where enzymes further digest carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Since horses don’t have a gallbladder, the liver secretes bile to aid with fat digestion. 

Large grain meals may pass through the entire foregut without being properly digested, causing a disruption of the microbes living in the hindgut. This can lead to gas, colic, and laminitis. 

 

The Horse’s Hindgut

The horse’s hindgut is much larger than the foregut, consisting of the cecum, large colon, small colon, and rectum. The hindgut is where structural carbohydrates from forage are fermented by microbes. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are produced as a byproduct of this process, providing energy for the horse. 

The microbial population in the hindgut is very sensitive and any sudden change in feed, grass, or hay can lead to changes in the pH and cause problems like colic or laminitis. This is why all diet changes should be made slowly, over a period of 7-10 days. 

After leaving the small intestine, food, now called digesta, enters the cecum, a large mixing vat that can hold 7-10 gallons and slows the passage of digesta, allowing microbes up to seven hours to digest fiber.  

After leaving the cecum, digesta enters the large colon which can hold about 20 gallons. Microbial fermentation continues, producing VFAs, methane, ammonia, B-vitamins, and amino acids. Minerals such as sodium, chloride, and potassium are also absorbed in the large colon. Digesta may take 2-3 days to pass through the large colon but it finally moves to the small colon where water is absorbed and fecal balls of waste products are formed to move toward the rectum. 

 

Products to Support Your Horse’s Digestive System

Though horses are prone to digestive upset, the good news is that there are a number of products designed to protect and support this delicate system. For example, Pro-Guard Probiotics contains beneficial microbes to support digestion and is especially important to feed after a horse has been on antibiotics. 

Slippery Elm soothes inflammation of the stomach and intestinal tract and is especially helpful when ulcers are suspected or diagnosed. 

Bentonite Clay has detoxifying properties and is helpful for horses with diarrhea, fecal water syndrome, or loose stool. 

And finally, Gastrox helps to heal stomach ulcers naturally and without the side effects of pharmaceutical medications. 

Insulin Resistance in Horses

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Has your horse developed fat deposits along the neck or rump? Or have you noticed him drinking or urinating more than usual? If so, insulin resistance (IR) is likely to blame. It’s one of the most common metabolic problems occurring in horses today.

What Is Insulin Resistance?

Insulin Resistance is a condition in which the tissues become less responsive to the hormone, insulin. Insulin is important because it helps to regulate glucose (sugar) metabolism by instructing tissues to take in glucose from the blood after a meal is consumed. Insulin also stimulates tissues to use glucose to make glycogen, a form of stored energy. 

In IR horses, blood glucose levels remain high, which signals for the body to produce even more insulin. This can cause chronically high insulin concentration which may lead to further health issues. 

What are the Symptoms of Insulin Resistance?

 

 

Symptoms of IR can vary and not all horses show the typical symptoms. With that said, the classic symptoms include:

  • Fatty deposits over the neck, rump, and/or above the eyes;
  • Excessive drinking and urinating;
  • Laminitis; and
  • Loss of muscle tone.

Diagnosing Insulin Resistance in Horses

IR can be diagnosed with blood tests that measure levels of glucose and insulin. This could be a glucose-insulin test but more likely, serum insulin tests. If it is an older horse, Cushing’s disease should be ruled out (though horses can have Cushing’s and IR simultaneously). 

How to Feed Your Insulin Resistant Horse

Feeding IR horses appropriately is crucial in controlling the disease and also preventing laminitis episodes. You may need to limit pasture grazing time or use a grazing muzzle since the sugar in grasses can cause a problem for IR horses. However, this doesn’t mean you should withhold all hay and grass from them. Instead feed a low non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) hay or soak your hay for 30-60 minutes prior to feeding to reduce the sugar content. 

Avoid feeding grains or sweet feeds. Instead, feed a hay-based diet with either a small amount of low NSC feed to add minerals to or feed a ration balancer, which is typically low in sugar and contains most needed minerals. 

Helpful Supplements for IR Horses

If you aren’t feeding a ration balancer, ensure that your IR horse is receiving a balanced ration of minerals and vitamins in their diet, as deficiencies may worsen the condition. Our Organic Organic Icelandic Kelp is a good option. 

Magnesium is an important mineral involved in insulin secretion and often needs to be supplemented as well. We recommend our Su-Per® Mag Pro powder.

Organic Ceylon Cinnamon has also been shown to help horses with insulin resistance and Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS).

For a more complete IR supplement, Osoleen—Support for Glucose Metabolism in Horses can help to reset your horse’s insulin metabolism and support healthy metabolic function. It is part of our signature herbal line. 

Insulin resistance isn’t necessarily a death sentence for horses, but it is something to take seriously. Then good news is that with the right diet and management, your IR horse can still have a good quality of life.

Dust Bathing Behavior in Animals

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Have you ever seen an animal rolling around in the dirt and wondered just why on earth they do that? Is it just for fun? To scratch an itch? Or is there a more important reason? 

Dust bathing is exactly what it sounds like—when an animal rolls or moves around in dirt or sand. Biologists classify it as a “maintenance behavior” and the main purpose is thought to be for removing parasites such as mites and fleas from the fur, feathers, or skin. For some animals, it may also serve as a way to transmit pheromones onto the ground to mark their territory. As strange as it may sound, dust bathing also appears to help keep an animal’s feathers or hair coat clean and healthy!

Birds

Birds will squat close to the ground to take a dust bath, wriggling their bodies and flapping their wings to stir up the dust. This allows it get in between their feathers and reach the skin. This is usually followed by shaking to further ruffle the feathers and then birds will often preen themselves with their bill. 

Domestic chickens love to dust bathe. They will scratch at the ground with their feet or bills, then squat into the dust, shaking their wings, rubbing their head, raking their bill, and scratching with one leg. As with other bird species, dust collects between the feathers and is then shaken off. 

Chickens will dust bathe just about anywhere so you will want to create an ideal environment rather than have them dust bathe in their own manure. One healthy option is to provide Poultry Dust in a pan or tray which will help ensure external parasite removal and allow them to participate in natural dust bathing behaviors. 

Mammals

Many different mammal species like to roll in dirt or sand, which may also help with parasites or help them to dry off after exercise or getting wet. Dust bathing in mammals may also be a way of aiding with thermoregulation, sun protection, and scent-marking. 

Some mammals that dust bathe include:

  • Bison
  • Cape ground squirrel
  • Chinchilla
  • Domestic cat
  • Domestic dog
  • Elephant
  • Gerbil
  • Hamster
  • Horse
  • Kangaroo rat
  • Llama
  • Pig
  • Prairie dog

If you keep any of these animals as pets or farm animals, it’s important that you allow them to dust bathe as they please. Horses need out of stalls and small pens so they have room to roll, preferably in dirt or a sandy area. The same goes for llamas, dogs, and cats. 

Hamsters, gerbils, and chinchillas prefer to dust bathe in sand. They will dig and even play in it. Sand baths help to decrease natural oils and dirt that may accumulate in your hamster or gerbil’s coat and may also deter parasites. The best way to provide a sand bath is to fill a small dish with sand and place it in your pet’s enclosure. 

Another dust bathing option for hamsters, gerbils, and chinchillas is Goldbath Dust for Chinchillas which will help them keep their coat shiny and clean. Depending on your pet’s interest in dust bathing, you can offer a sand bath several times a week. 

Winter Horse Woes

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Winter will be here before we know it and this is the time of year when we may need to keep a closer eye on our horses. Though they’re often well-suited to handle all kinds of weather, horses can be at increased risk of certain illnesses or other problems in winter. 

Photo credit: Chuck Burgess

Keeping Your Horse War

Horses have several mechanisms in place to help them stay warm in winter, including growing a thick winter coat and producing more body oil to help repel water. However, the best way for horses to stay warm is by consuming more forage, as this helps to produce internal heat through bacterial fermentation in the cecum and large intestine. In fact, eating forage produces a greater amount of internal heat when compared with eating grains, which are mostly absorbed in the small intestine. 

A good rule of thumb to follow when feeding forage in winter: for every 10 degrees F it is below freezing, increase your horse’s hay ration by 10%. If a horse doesn’t have enough forage to eat, they will burn calories by shivering in order to stay warm. 

So long as horses have access to some form of shelter to protect them from wind and rain, most horses do fine in winter, but older or thin horses can benefit from wearing a waterproof blanket when temperatures are below freezing.

Water Consumption

One of the biggest challenges in winter can be ensuring that your horse is drinking enough water. When the weather cools off, so does your horse’s water source, and many horses may be more reluctant to drink. In fact, studies have shown that horses prefer a water temperature between 45-65 degrees F, so when the air temperature is cooler than that, this is where tank heaters and/or heated water buckets can help. 

Another way to get more water into your horse is to soak feed, hay pellets, or hay cubes in warm water to make a mash. 

Thirdly, ensuring that your horse has loose salt available at all times will help to promote drinking. We recommend offering our Pure Unrefined Sea Salt free choice.

The Horse’s Immune System

When horses experience stress over a long period of time, such as during a prolonged cold snap, they can become more susceptible to illness. But the good news is that certain nutrients and herbs naturally support the immune system and can be great to add to your horse’s diet to give them a boost. Our Immunoboost powder is formulated to strengthen the immune system while also boosting immune response to toxins and pathogens in the body.

Vyrex is another immune-supporting supplement we offer as part of our signature herbal line. This supplement works as a preventative, naturally supporting the immune system. It consists of a blend of organic herbs, including garlic, fenugreek, echinacea, Siberian ginseng, and astragalus. 

Additionally, our Icelandic Organic Kelp contains 60 trace minerals, micro nutrients, and amino acids, as well as many natural vitamins which all help boost the immune system, balance hormones, and lower high blood cholesterol levels. It’s great to feed in winter and all year round! 

Can People Get Intestinal Parasites?

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If you have pets or livestock, you’ve likely thought about the problem of parasites before. After all, we’re accustomed to administering some type of dewormer to our animals on a regular basis. But have you ever considered that people can get intestinal parasites as well?

As much as we may not want to think that this is true, it’s a fact. A long list of worm parasites can affect people, including roundworm, flatworm, hookworm, tapeworm, and whipworm.

Signs of Intestinal Parasites in People

Parasites can live in the intestines for years without causing symptoms, but at times, they do cause symptoms including:

  • abdominal pain
  • diarrhea
  • nausea or vomiting
  • gas and bloating
  • dysentary (loose stools containing blood and mucus)
  • rash or itching around the rectum or vulva
  • fatigue
  • weight loss
  • passing a worm in stool

In addition, tapeworms can cause these symptoms:

  • lumps or bumps under the skin
  • allergic reaction
  • fever
  • neurological problems such as seizures

Diagnosing Intestinal Parasites in People

Traditional doctors may not consider parasites as a cause to the above symptoms but you can ask for fecal testing that may identify some types of parasites. 

Other diagnostic tests include:

  • Blood tests can be used to detect some types of parasites that migrate to the blood; and
  • Tape test: this involves placing clear tape around the anus. The tape can be examined under a microscope for the presence of pinworms or their eggs.

Treating Intestinal Parasites in People

Even without a diagnosis, there are a number of holistic remedies you can use to self-treat if you believe you may have intestinal parasites. Some of these include:

  • Avoiding simple carbohydrates from refined foods, many types of fruit, juices, dairy products, and all sugars except honey;
  • Eating more raw garlic, pumpkin seeds, pomegranates, beets, and carrots, which have anti-parasitic properties;
  • Drinking plenty of water to flush out your system;
  • Eating plenty of fiber which may help to flush out worms;
  • Taking probiotics; and
  • Taking digestive enzymes.

DiaGuard for People

Another way to treat intestinal parasites is to take DiaGuard for People, a completely safe, 100% natural non-chemical dewormer. While DiaGuard is deadly to parasites, it is completely safe for use in people, animals, and on plants. This product kills parasites by puncturing their exoskeleton, disrupting the soft waxy shell structure, perforating the digestive organs, and causing death in a short time.

DiaGuard is made from food grade Diatomaceous Earth which is completely safe to take internally. However, you should take care not to breathe in too much Diatomaceous Earth dust, as it may cause respiratory discomfort. To use DiaGuard, take a level tablespoon of powder in a glass of filtered water twice daily for 30 days. This can be done twice a year.

Food grade Diatomaceous Earth also detoxifies the body. It has been reported in scientific literature to absorb methyl mercury, e-coli, endotoxins, viruses, organophosphate pesticide residues, drug resides, and protein, perhaps even the proteinaceous toxins produced by some intestinal infections.

If you are concerned about intestinal parasites, it couldn’t hurt to take DiaGuard for People, as it has many other benefits too!